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“Israeli” Military Companies to Skip UAE Expo Citing COVID Travel Restrictions

“Israeli” Military Companies to Skip UAE Expo Citing COVID Travel Restrictions
folder_openZionist Entity access_time3 years ago
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By Staff, Agencies

“Israeli” military companies will not take part in next week's International Defense Exhibition and Conference [IDEX] in Abu Dhabi due to coronavirus-related restrictions on air travel, Reuters reported Monday, citing Israeli officials.

The defense expo, the largest of its kind in the Middle East, is set to run 21-25 February at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Dozens of “Israeli” companies were set to take part in the show this year, among them Aeronautics Group, BIRD Aerosystems, Elbit Systems, “Israel” Aerospace Industries, “Israel” Weapon Industries, Rafael Advanced Systems, SIBAT “Israel” War Ministry, and others, with the country even given its own separate pavilion.

“Israeli” military firms saw their historic first time-ever participation in IDEX as an opportunity to open the door to some lucrative military contracts, as cash-rich oil Gulf sheikhdoms spend billions on military equipment every year, but produce very little of their own.

IDEX' organizers announced Israeli participation in the expo in October 2020, a few months after the signing of the Abraham Accords which normalized “Israeli”-Emirati relations.

The “Israeli” entity introduced an effective ban on international air travel last month in connection with the coronavirus pandemic.

Last month, the Biden administration temporarily froze some foreign arms sales, including F-35s destined for the UAE. Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, had used the F-35s as a lucrative 'carrot' to get Abu Dhabi to sign the normalization of relations agreement. Emirati officials have expressed confidence that the review of the weapons deal was merely "pro-forma."

The “Israeli” entity, currently the only operator of the F-35 in the Middle East, has expressed concerns over the prospect of the fighter jets being sold to other countries in the region.

The UAE and Bahrain became the third and fourth Arab nations, and the first Arab countries in the Persian Gulf, to normalize ties with the “Israeli” entity.

The accords were joined by Sudan and Morocco late last year, with Khartoum rewarded by being removed from Washington's “state sponsors of terrorism” list, and Rabat receiving consideration for billions of dollars in investment aid. The remaining 16 members of the Arab League continue to maintain no formal relations with Tel Aviv.

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